Superman escape review thread

[Ian]

^nah just really fast load times 90secs just like how fast Dueling Drangons is in the states. Also alot of people are too scared to ride or too big or short. But to get a idea the other day there was around 300 people in the queue and we were waiting about 10mins max to ride and that is amazong if you ask me.

[Slick]

Nope. Crowds that were almost doubling Dreamworld's from what I heard were hitting Movie World and they still were able to keep queue times to a minimum.

[Morphix]

NOw that the advertising for the ride is quite public now, eg tv and cinema, why are they not using footage of the actual coaster in the ad?

[matty_o_911]

Out of curiosity - with Movie World being able to market two new attractions this holiday period (one being a multi-million dollar rollercoaster and the other a 4D movie based on a popular character) and Dreamworld only having its measly Wiggles World and a circus to offer this year - can anyone who has been to Dreamworld lately be able to inform us as to whether Dreamworld's holiday visitor numbers appear to be succumbing to the much better park down the road and are less than usual?

[GoGoBoy]

Out of curiosity - with Movie World being able to market two new attractions this holiday period (one being a multi-million dollar rollercoaster and the other a 4D movie based on a popular character) and Dreamworld only having its measly Wiggles World and a circus to offer this year - can anyone who has been to Dreamworld lately be able to inform us as to whether Dreamworld's holiday visitor numbers appear to be succumbing to the much better park down the road and are less than usual?

matty - it would make sense if that was the case and I certainly hope it is. However, when it comes to theme parks most Aussies aren't that educated on them and seem to make stupid decisions. People can't seem to let go of Dreamworld for some reason. So I wouldn't be surprised if Dreamworld's attendance remains steady, if not grows. There's something about a whole heap of rides stuck around the place outdoors with little to no theming that Australians seem to love. We are not that heavily into theming which is a real shame. Hopefully that is starting to change now. Support the theme park with the latest and greatest rides I say!

[dreamworld_rulz]

matty - it would make sense if that was the case and I certainly hope it is. However, when it comes to theme parks most Aussies aren't that educated on them and seem to make stupid decisions. People can't seem to let go of Dreamworld for some reason. So I wouldn't be surprised if Dreamworld's attendance remains steady, if not grows. There's something about a whole heap of rides stuck around the place outdoors with little to no theming that Australians seem to love. We are not that heavily into theming which is a real shame. Hopefully that is starting to change now. Support the theme park with the latest and greatest rides I say!

Theming who cares about theming. I ride a ride for the ride not to look at the theming. I love DW as it offers me more rides it also gives me discounts on food and merchandise with my pass. This is something that MW doesn't do. I know some ppl a passionate about theming but i'm not. As my nick says dreamworld_rulz. I havn't been on SE yet but will on Thursday 23rd Feb.

[Gazza]

Theming who cares about theming.

Obviously not you, but many others do. IMO themeing in an integral part of the ride, Imagine Eureka without themeing, it would be a very plain track winding its way downhill out in the open. Theming also makes the wait more interesting since you have things to look at and just adds to the atmosphere. If there was no themeing the park would virtually just be like a carnival or show, not very interesting at all. But anyway, MW deserves a pat on the back for doing such a good job, they have provided a great new ride in the middle of summer, yet have managed to keep queues to a minimum and all for a fairly modest investment. Other parks need to take notice.

[dreamworld_rulz]

Obviously not you, but many others do. IMO themeing in an integral part of the ride, Imagine Eureka without themeing, it would be a very plain track winding its way downhill out in the open. Theming also makes the wait more interesting since you have things to look at and just adds to the atmosphere. If there was no themeing the park would virtually just be like a carnival or show, not very interesting at all. But anyway, MW deserves a pat on the back for doing such a good job, they have provided a great new ride in the middle of summer, yet have managed to keep queues to a minimum and all for a fairly modest investment. Other parks need to take notice.

The reason why SE's queue's go down really quickly is due to the fact that SE only goes for 20 odd sec and they have 2 trains running.

[matty_o_911]

The reason why SE's queue's go down really quickly is due to the fact that SE only goes for 20 odd sec and they have 2 trains running.

Actually it goes about 1 minute 40 seconds I believe. About the same time as Lethal Weapon - which even when running two trains has a very slow and inefficient queue. Superman's queue is shorter because: 1) the lockers mean there is no stuffing around with guests putting things in boxes and then collecting them like Lethal Weapon/Cyclone et al; 2) Ride ops split the queue into groups of four in accordance to which gate to proceed to and puts family/friends together and filling gaps with single riders - all of which is done before even reaching the loading gate. So when the train arives at the station - everyone quickly proceeds in sits down, and is buckled in by multiple ride ops without any stuffing around whatsoever. 3) Having separate loading/unloading stations, means the other train doesn't have to wait for the other train to get out of the way like it does on others. Hence why having two trains on Lethal Weapon makes very little difference because only one train can fit in the station at a time, and by the second train arrives at the station and unloads the people onboard and they collect their items, the other train has already completed the circuit and is waiting in the block brakes with nothing to do while people are still just getting on the ride.

[dreamworld_rulz]

I was only going on by the SE video on the SE web site.

[Slick]

Even then the video is longer then 20 seconds fool. Seriously, if you don't care about themeing, then you're not an enthusiast. Just look at disney, if they didn't care about themeing they'd just be another carnival. No atmosphere, no class. A ride is never a trully excellent ride if it's upkeep, sorroundings and general themeing isn't maintained. A good example would be Pirates of the carribean at Disneyland. One of the oldest thrill rides in the park, then yet it still is one of the best and funniest rides in the park.

[Richard]

As an interesting side-note, Lethal Weapon is actually an incredibly efficient ride when staffed properly with motivated staff (a rarity in our parks). Unfortunately, this rarely happens these days.

[lisalila]

Even then the video is longer then 20 seconds fool. Seriously, if you don't care about themeing, then you're not an enthusiast. Just look at disney, if they didn't care about themeing they'd just be another carnival. No atmosphere, no class.

Just because he doesnt like themeing doesnt mean he aint a enthusiast! an enthusiast can be someone who likes riding rides not just liking the themes you dont have to be so rude about it and calling him a fool and saying he aint a enthusiast. I cant wait to ride SE in 23 days, I dont care for themeing at all, as long as it's a great ride themeing doesnt matter although I do love the themeing for Scooby and Wild West but that's not why I ride them and I spend more time touching the themeing than admiring it really. Edited January 4, 2006 by lisalila

[dreamworld_rulz]

Ok so i'm a fool. I just timed the video and from start to finish it goes for 50sec. The ride from launch to the end of the video goes for 42 sec. So yes the video goes for more than 20sec but the ride is less Than 1 min.

[Slick]

Lisa, what's better, Medusa (a themed ride) or Scream! (SFMM's clone on a parking lot?) Seriously, theme parks are for themes. And themeing is there for the atmosphere for a good park, but hey, if you want no themeing, and "just" a ride, hell, you go enjoy your "theme" park. Do you honestly think that themeing doesn't make a ride? What do you have to say to Walt Disney then? Why was Disneyland such a huge success then? Most of the actual rides themself suck, but coupled together with an intriguing and innovative design concept and it can almost take guests into another world. Now, how many people here would think Scooby is a great ride "if" the entire ride was just bare bones? Not many.

Edited January 4, 2006 by Slick

[lisalila]

I cant comment on any parks apart from MW, DW, WNW, Sea World and both Luna Parks because that's all I've been too but I've never said that themeing does not make the park or the ride I just that in my opinion I dont care for themeing at all, of course it makes the ride look nice and crap but it does not make the ride for me, I dont go on a ride because I like the themeing, I go on it because I like the ride...of course if you go on the rides for the themeing or whatever than that is your thing. Disneyland I am sure is a great theme park and Walt Disney spent alot of money and time to make sure it's the best in the world and the Disney's continue to do so today but as I have said I've never been there so I wont comment on any of those parks. I actually like Scooby's themeing if you read my post I think it's probably the best themed ride at MW and the ride itself is done in such a way that it's a long ride but the que time usually is not that long but I could def ride Scooby without the themeing. The Road Runner coaster has hardly any themeing but it's still a nice ride and from what people have said SE does not have much/good themeing but they still love the ride so thats my argument and my opinion.

[Bussy]

Themeing is like packaging for products. The better it looks the more people buy it, or in this case ride. If every ride had absolutely no themeing this site and every other theme park site would not exist because people would not be passionate about them. Themeing can be very minor i.e. the train is painted to very major i.e. Pirates of the Caribbean (which lets face it is an ordinary ride which is made great by the themeing) and everything in between. This all helps the overall atmosphere of a ride. "The Bus is now leaving for Caribbean Lake, Victoria"

[jcgoldcoast]

NOw that the advertising for the ride is quite public now, eg tv and cinema, why are they not using footage of the actual coaster in the ad?

Acutally, there is now footage of the ride on tv advertisements in brisbane, but it has only started apperaring in brisbane ads over the last 2-3 days, so these ads might not have been sent to other states yet. Keep watching your TV, you should see some real superman soon!

[Nebuchanezzar]

Themeing ey. Themeing, IMO is one of the most important things that a ride can have. Some might be saying "But Jim, you love carnival rides, they have no themeing." Yes, well done, but the theme of the carnival is the themeing that the carnival ride has. It's night-time, there's lots of flashy lights and loud music and horny teens wandering around. If you plonked a Breakdance out in the middle of the desert, it'd suck. If you plonk a breakdance amidst a few other rides with smelly operators and the aforementioned features, you have a great ride. Theme parks don't bother with smelly operators and bright lights, they go all out and do the full themeing, which is why theme parks are more popular then carnivals. Yes, themeing is of paramount importance.

[GoGoBoy]

Smelly operators and horny teens? Hmm interesting post

[Slick]

What, you've never been to the EKKA?

[kennykoala]

went to MW today, rode superman 4 times. well nearly 4 we had a ride evac on my 4th turn at the launch, and as someone said earlier- they told the ppl on the train that they cannot fast track them back to the front of the queue, and that they would have to line up again if they wanted to ride. I wasnt to fussed as the line was only 2 rows when I joined the queue b4 boarding anyhow. I went home then. I do think it is pore form on Mw's behalf to tell ppl that they dont get another go and send them packing. There were young kids yelling "its not fair that we dont get to go to the front" and adults were saying other stuff to the opps to that were letting us out the train. I had 4 rides in under 40 mins, it also was down in mid morning for about 15 mins when i was inline for my first ride of the day. I also got to ride in front today, very enjoyable.

[dreamworld_rulz]

Hmmmm sounds like SE has problems. I remember when the T.O.T. opended and it also had probs.

[Slick]

Like all rides (hope adam is reading this, he's gonna love me when he gets back) especially new conept designs, they're expected to have teething problems. Tower of Terror, The Claw, just about every new type of ride type that's innovational in some way will have problems in the first year. Even rides that have been done over and over will still have teething problems with programming and mechanical faults. It's just sort of the norm regardless of how much testing went on prior to opening.

[dr_teeth]

Yeah but having to pay extra $$$ for them (lockers) ain't on.

So just do what we do....leave your extra crap in the car. These places have passouts remember.